Must You Be So Miserable?
Author's Note: Yay! Finally! My first fic is being typed up! Now for the important bit. This entire story is set in pre Harry and co. times, but at the same time in the year 2002. Voldemort has been defeated and everywhere is peaceful. (Don't worry; it's not a sweet, fairytale setting) In the story, Snape is 30, but he's living in our times. To put it simply, we've got a 30-year-old, quite OOC, ex- Death Eater, Potions Master Snape – all in 2002.
I wasn't originally going to post this story until it was complete and re-written but, seeing as I've got the house to myself and the first few chapters written in long hand, I'm going ahead now. Hopefully, the story will be continued in the half-term holidays (they start on the 8th of February. Yay!), if not, I'll post more during the week.
This story starts off slow, a bit rubbish and possibly a bit boring but I can promise you it gets better, especially in the next chapter. J
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of JK's. Beth, Jade, Charlie and Gobbledygook are mine so no thieving!
***
Chapter One – A Fresh StartWith a heavy heart but at the same time an excited heart, she hugged her god-daughter and best friend from school tightly, promising to write as much as possible, and clambered aboard the Hogwarts Express, helped by Minerva, accompanied by her numerous trunks, cases and boxes, preparing herself for what was to come.
She was tall, bang on 5ft 7 the last time she checked, and had medium length, stubbornly wavy, dark brown hair that complimented her slightly largish dark brown eyes. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, the bits that didn't reach, behind her ears, and she was dressed, as Hogwarts teachers do, (well, at that time anyway) in Muggle clothing. She wore one of her many dark blue, kick flare jeans, Adidas trainers, and a baby blue, turtle neck, jumper. She was slim, with long legs and fingers, a very slightly, almost unnoticeable, crooked smile and eyes that sometimes made her as easy to read as a book.
Despite being Welsh, she didn't have the accent of her country because she was from coastal North Wales and the people there just didn't have the accent. Something she was happy about.
Although an adult and a British witch, (not to mention a very powerful British witch) she was attending Hogwarts for her very first time. At the age of eleven, she had received her long awaited and almost guaranteed Hogwarts acceptance letter, but her mother had forbade her attendance. As a result, she, along with a friend (who's eight year-old daughter she was godmother to) who was in exactly the same predicament, was forced to study magic by the book and attend a Muggle school. Upon Dumbledore's insistence, she had attended Muggle University to attain her teaching degree and awaited the fulfilment of his promise of a solid year of magical training before she got her first teaching job. Now, a trained English teacher, writer and legally qualified witch, she was on her way to Hogwarts, Scotland, to teach. She knew her mother would disown her if she knew what she were teaching and where so she'd simply told her that she was leaving Wales to teach English in Scotland. Well, that was almost true, she was teaching, in Scotland, but not English.
Pushing stray bits of hair back behind her ears, she took a deep breath and stepped into the teacher's carriage. A room that held a definite air of elegance greeted her. There was an enormous fireplace at the far end of the room, surrounded by armchairs, a splendid mahogany dining table stood dominantly in the centre of the room, and a working table, covered in books and papers, stood against the wall to her right. The walls and cushions on the chairs were red and the whole place reminded her of an English Stately Home.
Stood by the fireplace awaiting her arrival were a smiling Albus Dumbledore, whom she'd met many times before, and a tall, pale, black haired, miserable looking man she didn't recognise.
"Hello, again, my friend." Albus greeted her. She had a feeling he could sense her nervousness. " Are you excited?"
"Nervous, but yes, excited," she replied truthfully.
"Don't be nervous," Dumbledore smiled. She couldn't help but relax. It was probably his smile that had this effect on people. She remembered meeting him when she was eleven and being terrified. He'd probably sensed this, smiled his warm smile, and told her not to worry. She'd calmed down considerably after that.
"Coffee?" Albus offered.
"Yes, please,"
"Black, white, sugar?"
"Black, one sugar, please," she replied.
Albus fetched her drink quickly from the machine and brought them all to sit by the fire. Outside, in true British summer style. It had begun to rain heavily and the sky darkened, adding a dreary look to the blur of London that was passing by the window as they set off.
"Now, there is an introduction that needs making," Dumbledore smiled and began looking from the youngish, pale man whose black hair reached his chin and the woman with brown hair in jeans and trainers.
"Severus Snape, Potions Master, I would like you to meet Beth Calto, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor,"
"Nice to meet you," Beth held out a hand pleasantly. He shook it briefly and quickly returned to drinking his coffee, wondering how on earth this 22 year old looking women could have enough experience for what she was to teach.
***
The morning passed quickly, full of discussions. Albus, Minerva and Beth (Severus chose to stay out of the conversations as much as possible) talked about all sorts of things, Transfiguration, Beth's books, Hogwarts, the Hogwarts teachers, and eventually Dumbledore brought the conversation around to teaching itself.
"Now I've seen Beth teach on many occasions," Dumbledore began.
"You have?" Beth asked. Dumbledore had never been present in her classroom. Well, she'd never seen him.
"Yes, I've been observing your teaching methods for a couple of months now, from the cover of an invisibility cloak, and, I must say, I've been impressed and amused,"
"Oh?" Beth began. She felt butterflies fill her stomach. Her teaching methods weren't exactly…traditional – most of the time.
"Yes. Now Severus and Minerva, I fear you may not agree with some of Beth's methods, especially you, Severus, but I can assure you, her students cover so much work so fast it is unbelievable. What did you year 9 set 1 class do for you before you left?"
Beth blushed a bit before answering, "Er, they erm, clubbed together and er, bought me a trophy," she blushed even redder.
"And I believe that trophy deemed you 'The Best and Worlds Only Decent English Teacher'." Severus snorted and they all saw him. "So you see, Severus, although your teaching methods are very different, they are just as effective," Dumbledore finished with a protective hint in his voice.
"Albus, if Miss Calto surpasses your expectations, then she must surely be a good enough teacher," Minerva told him, smiling warmly at Beth.
"If our methods are as effective as each other's, headmaster," Snape began, shooting an icy glare at Beth, " why bother saying all of this? Beth will teach her subject, and I shall teach mine.
"You really don't like me, do you?" Beth blurted out, wishing she hadn't.
The question didn't seem to take him by surprise. "I don't know you enough to make that decision." He told her flatly. "I just can't see how someone of your age can poses enough experience for your job."
"How old do you think I am?" she asked him.
"You look about 22."
"I'm 29."
For a tiny, tiny, split second, surprise flitted across his face. Instantly, his expression returned to the blank, unreadable face.
"I am telling you this, Severus," Dumbledore pressed on, picking up on the growing friction between the two, "Because I think you may find Beth's teaching methods interesting,"
"More coffee?" Minerva asked quickly. She must have seen the glare Severus discreetly shot at Beth and, probably. The glare Beth returned.
"I'll have tea, Minerva," Albus smiled, handing her the cup.
"Beth, Severus?"
"Tea, please," they replied together. This time, Beth ignored the look Severus gave her. 'Well done Beth! You aren't even there yet and you've got an enemy in the making,' she scolded herself.
"Have you started this term's lesson plans yet, Beth?"
"Yes, I'm nearly halfway through them. Did you receive the reading list I suggested, headmaster?"
"Yes. The books you suggested have been sent out on the list of official text books."
"Oh," she said, surprised.
"You made excellent choices. And Beth, please don't call me headmaster, its Albus. Same for you Severus."
"Sure," they replied, again at the same time. This amused Dumbledore and annoyed Severus.
"Who, if you don't mind me asking, was that at the station with you, Beth?" Minerva asked, sitting down.
"Believe it or not, that was Jade Angelo and her daughter Charlie," Beth smiled at the shocked look on her face.
"Jade? That's Jade? Jade who had the same problem coming here as you? Her daughter? My, my. She looks completely different." Minerva exclaimed, disbelieving, remembering the short little girl who had sat next to Beth when they'd met to sort out a magical education for them both.
"Yep, she's taller that me now," Beth smiled, sipping her tea, recalling the way she used to tower over Jade.
"She's got a daughter?"
"Yeah, Charlie's eight. She's my god-daughter."
"My, my" Minerva repeated, "Things do change."
"Oh, I've just remembered!" Beth exclaimed, "I've actually got a letter for you Albus, from Jade," she jumped to her feet, remembering the favour Jade had asked, and began digging through her pockets, eventually producing a slightly crumpled envelope. She smoothed it out and handed it over, sitting down.
"I'll read it later. It isn't urgent is it?"
"No, its just a 'hello, how are you?' sort of letter," she replied.
"What's Jade doing now?" Minerva asked. She'd always been fond of Beth and Jade. It had been her who'd helped sort out their magical education with Dumbledore.
Beth laughed. "Trying to get my old job I think. She's a literary agent at the moment though.
"I expect we'll be seeing Charlie in a few years. With a mum like Jade, its predictable,"
"God help us if she doesn't get in. She'll have blown up the house by the time she's thirteen if she doesn't."
"So she's showing signs?" Dumbledore inquired.
"Oh yes. Just last week she turned my coffee table into paper. She picked up my wand when I wasn't looking. I think she'll be good a Transfiguration. Last month she found some of Jade's books and her wand and turned a whole dinner set into tennis balls. Jade has to keep everything under lock and key now more than ever." Beth smiled, picturing her paper coffee table and Jade's face when she found sixteen tennis balls where her dinner set had been.
Minerva chuckled, "You and Jade were exactly the same. Is her father a wizard?"
"No. He walked out on the when Charlie was three and he's been causing problems ever since. He's evil, that man."
"Oh dear. Is everything okay?" Minerva asked.
"Yeah. Charlie's determined to come to Hogwarts. I'd be surprised if you hadn't had a letter from her yet, begging to know if she's coming Albus." Beth laughed.
"Not yet. Should I be expecting one soon?"
"Knowing Charlie…yes."
"Well, even if she did ask me, I couldn't tell her yet," Dumbledore told her.
Severus, who knew the story of Beth's magical education, sat, not listening, thinking about how he'd been denied the DADA position for the third year running. He'd started teaching potions 4 years ago, at the age of 26 and after a year he'd decided, at the age of 27, that he wanted the DADA position. The professors over the past few years had not lasted past a year and, by the look of the latest offering, history would repeat itself. How can she, a Muggle English teacher possibly be more experienced that him for the DADA position? He had applied for the job, knowing he could do it, but someone else had got it. And this year, it was woman.
"How long until term starts again?" Beth asked.
"Two months yesterday. So you have plenty of time to settle in, explore, decorate you classroom and quarters and make friends with the staff," Albus replied. Was it just her, or did his eyes look quickly from her to Severus? They did. How could she be expected to make friends with someone who didn't even seem to want to speak to her? Oh well, she'd try though. She liked potions anyway.
"You can decorate you rooms however you want but there isn't any need to purchase furniture, it's all provided."
"Oh, thanks," Beth said.
"Do you have an owl?" the transfiguration teacher asked her new colleague.
"Yep. But Charlie's got him at the moment."
"What's his name?"
"Gobbledygook."
"Pardon?"
"Gobbledygook. Can you guess the name of the dangerous eight year old who insisted her name was better than what I wanted to call him?"
"Charlie," Minerva smiled. She was becoming fond of the girl because of all she'd heard, " What did you want to call him?"
Beth bit back a laugh, "If it wasn't for Charlie he'd bee called Mud. Actually, considering where 'Mud' came from, Gobbledygook is a better name. It's a long story and not the sort you tell to your new colleagues the first day you meet them." Beth was really trying hard not to laugh. Dumbledore must have somehow picked up on this as he smiled at Beth and moved the conversation back to Charlie.
"Charlie sounds like a lovely girl. Do you have a picture?"
"Hundreds. I'll get one to show you." Beth began rummaging through one of her trunks and produced one of Charlie's' school photo's. The picture she showed Dumbledore displayed a cheery girl with long brown hair and startling blue eyes. She was the image of her mother.
***
The castle, outlined by the summer evening sky, loomed above her. She'd seen it before and so wasn't too taken aback by it, but still, it was an amazing sight. She followed Minerva and Albus into the Entrance Hall, Severus behind her, and tried to take in as much as possible. Dumbledore went up to his office, saying he'd see them at dinner, Severus wandered off sown a staircase and Minerva lead Beth up a staircase and down a corridor that, as she explained, led to the staff's quarters. They stopped at the end of a corridor, outside a door bearing a plaque saying 'Prof. B. Calto.' The door opposite hers bore the name 'Prof. S. Snape'. Minerva opened the door for Beth a smiled seeing the younger woman's reaction.
The new DADA professor could hardly believe she was being given quarters nearly half the size of her apartment. She stood in a living area with a big fire place, almost as big as the one on the train, on the wall to her right, a coffee table and three piece suite stood before this, opposite her was a door with empty, ceiling high book cases stood either side (they'd soon be filled), to her left was a dinning table and on the same wall was a door leading to a small, plain kitchen. The walls were all white. She'd soon change that.
"I'll leave you to unpack. Dinner will be in an hour and a half. I'll come and get you so you don't get lost. We don't bother dressing for dinner." Minerva left.
Beth found her kitchen was identical to a Muggle kitchen and that the door on the far wall lead to her bedroom, which was en-suite. The bedroom held a grand 4-poster bed, an enormous wardrobe (that would also soon be filled), a desk and a dressing table. She led her levitating trunks and cases into the bedroom and flopped down on the bed.
She was home. This was it. A fresh start
Author's Note: So there you have it! Please review and let me know what you think. You can flame if you want. They'll keep me warm because these stupid British winters are cold! I'll try and get the next chapter up for next Saturday and then the rest will probably come daily because it'll be half term!